Index device



Feb. l0, 1925.

J. H. RAND, JR., ET AL INDEX DEVICE iled Nov.

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 10, 1925. 1,525,513

J. H. RAND. JR., ET AL INDEX DEVI CE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb, 10, 1925.Y

J. H. RAND, JR., ET AL INDEX DEVICE 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov.

Il rIlIllllI/IIIIL Feb, '10, 1925.

J. H. RAND, JR., ET AL INDEX lDEVICE 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

Filed .Nov

Fatented Feb. ld, l.

.tanins n. naam,

atraen JR., 0F TONAWANDA, AND LGUES C. BRQECKER, GF BUFFALO, NEW

YORK, SA@ BROECKER ASSIGNGB. T0 SAID MND.

INDEX envios.

Application filed November To aZZ whom t may concern.:

Be it known that we, JAMES H. RAND,J r., and LOUIS C. BROECKER, citizensof the United States, residing at Tonawanda and Buda-lo, respectively,in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Index De vices, of which the following is aspecificatlOIL This invention relates to record or index card orcard-holder trays or supports and more particularly to devices formaintaining cards or card-holders in proper position on the vtrays orsupports.

Heretofore, card indexes have been provided comprising trays or supportson which are positioned a lplurality of cards or cardholders, the cardor card-holders being provided with aps whereby the heads of adja; centcards or holders may be inserted therebeneath to maintain the cards orcard-holders nested in overlapping arrangement with the edges of thecards projecting one beyond the other. The trays have further beenprovided with side flanges or guide members beneath which tonguesy orthe like on the' cards or holders engage so that the cards or holdersmay be releasably connected to the tray or support. Follower blocks 'ormembers ha-ve also been rovided which are adapted. to be engaged with aportion of the ktray and to bear against one or more of the cards orholders with a View to holding the nested cards or holders in the trayin proper position and prevent-ing unintentional removal thereof. Theselatter devices as heretofore constructed have been relativelydiilicultto posit-ion and operate. Certain of these follower devices, havingparts for engaging lugs or teeth on the bottom. of the tray and anotherpart for bearing against the card or holder, depend upon the y cards lorholders for support in one direction, and if the cards or holders arenot fully compressedwhen the devices are put in position` there is notsulicient pressure upon the followers to maintain them in positlon, withthe result'thatthey may become disengaged fromthe. trays. Again, these'devices as a rule have to be positioned and adjusted within ,thek trayand it is often difficult and i yinconvenient to follow such procedure.Further, with-the typelemploying a lsliding follower block cooperatingwith lugs 'or other e, leas. serial no. eraves.

I for maintaining the follower` in position, the

number of cards or holders which may be secured in the tray cannot bewidely varied, as it is not practical to provide lugs orprojecting partsbeneath any ortion of the tray on which the cards or ho ders slidewithout liability of serious damage to the cards or holders.

The objects of the present invention are to provide a card orcard-holder tray or the like having a follower or member which is heldin position by a ortion oiv the tray other than the bottom thereof;alsoptoprovide a cardiollower or securing device which is readilyextensible, whereby it may be used to secure any desired number of cardsin the tray, and also to provide a follower or' securing device whichmay be read-KL ily actuated from the outside of the tray. Furtherobjects are to provide improvements in card-followers o r securingdevices in the other respects hereinafter setv forth and claimed.

In the accompanyin drawings:

Fig.v l isa longltu inal sectlon on line 1/-1, Fig., 2, of a card orcard-holder tray provided with a follower or member for maitaining thecards or holders in position in the tray, said follower beingconstructed in accordance with one embodiment of theinvention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the front yportion of'` the tray, the holdersbeing broken awayy Fig. 4 is a' section of the stem part of the .Y l

follower, on "line 4 4, Fig. 6. f 'Fig 5 is 4an enlarged plan view ofythe spacing or extensible, stem portion of the follower with thechannely member thereof 1 i Figs.l 8 and 9 are longitpdinal.sectionalviews, on line 8 8, Fig. .7, showing` the follower inoperative and partly withdrawn positions, respectively.

Fig. l0 is a fragmentaryplan view of the follower shown in Fig. 7,partly in section to disclose the stem portion thereof.

Figs. 11 'and 12 are transverse sections on line 11-11, Fig. 7, with theparts in different positions to show the action of the stem-holdingspring.

vFig. 13 is a transverse section on line 13-13, Fig. 10.

Fig. 14 1s a fragmentary plan view of lthe follower showing the ste-mportion released from the sliding plate.

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary plan view of a tray provided with anothermodiied form of follower.

Figs. 16 land 17 are longitudinal sectional views, on line 16-16, Fig.15, with the follower in closed and partly withdrawn positions,respectively.

Fig. `18 is a sectional plan view of the adjustable .follower stem.

Fig. 19 is a face view of the outer end..

thereof and a portion of the front wall of the tray. l Fig. 2O is atransverse section of the stem on line 20-20, Fig. 18.

Figs. 21 and 22 are fragmentary plan views, partly in section, of thefront part of a tray provided with, and showing two differentadjustments' of, another modifiedform of follower.

Eig. 23 isa longitudinal section thereof i on 1in@ afa-'23, Fig. 21.

y Figs. 24 and 25 are transverse sections thereof on lines 2li-24 and25-25 respectively, Fig. 21.

Fig. 26 is a sectional plan viewv showing the released position of theadjustable stem of the follower.

Fig. 27 is a fragmentary transverse section on line 27-27, Fig. 22.

. The present invention, generally stated,

comprises a tray or .other supporting member for receiving a pluralityof cards, cardholders or other record-members and a movable follower ordevice for engaging one of said cards or other members, said followergia art extending to the outside ofthe tray,

or followers also engaging a ortion of the tray or support outside of te portion of the tray normally occupied by the cards or other memberswhen they are in position. This follower or holding member is'preferablyextensible so that it may be used to secure any desired number ofcardsor card-holders on the tray and preferably has w ereby it may beactuated from without the tray for the purpose of disengaging it fromthe cards or record-members to permit their removal and for adjustingthe follower to changevits length so that it may properly engage andretain a varying number of cards orrecord-members on the tray.

A'designates a tray' or other` supporting device which receives a seriesor a plurality of card holders B. As is a usual practice,

andas shown in the drawings, these card holders may be in nested,overlapping arrangement on the tray and the traymay be provided withside anges C adapted to engage tongues D on the card-holders, whichproject beneath the anges so that the cards are maintained in slidingengagement with the tray. The tray may be provided, if de-, sired, witha. fixed part or portion which provides a stop for one of the series ofcardholders to limit the extent to which they may be moved in onedirection longitudinally ofthe tra-y. For this purpose, in the deviceillustrated, there is shown a back stop E which engages the head of therearmost holder of the series. This back stop E, as illustrated, mayhave an overhanging bead or portion F for the purpose of engaging theupper edge of the head of the rearmost card-holder to prevent thecard-holders from .being lifted out of the tray when the rearmost holderis in engagement with the back stop.

10 designates a movable card-follower or securing device. This device ispreferably provided with a part for engaging one of the series ofholders on the tray, such for example, as the sliding part or plate 11-shown in the drawin and also a part for engaging a ortion o the tray,whereby the device may releasably maintained in position. Asillustrated, the ysliding' plate 11 is preferably provided with ears ortongues T which en age beneath the side anges of the tray an ide the.late in Iits sliding movements; lgiir releasably maintaining the devicein proper position, a spacing portion 12 is provided which is connectedto the f plate portion 11 and has a part preferably in engagement withthe part of the tray adjacent the front edge thereof. The spacvingportion is preferably extensible se that the number of card-holders onthe tray may be varied and the securing device still pe1 form itsfunction of effectively holding the card-holders on the tray. Thisextensible portion of the securing device may he of any desired form.For example, in Fig. 1, the late member 11 is, provided with a stem 14aving a spring-pressed stud 15. The portion bearing this stud isslidable in a channel 16 which has suitable recesses 17 into which thestud may engage. These recesses 17 are spaced apartlongitudinally of thechannel and the stem and channel with the stud and recesses described,provide a member which is readily extensible for var ving the distancebetweenthe plate member of the follower Vand the front of the tray. Thechannel member 16 is provided with a part or parts, as for example,theshoulders 18, for engaging a part of the tray. In the spring normallyurges the rack to one sidev so that its teeth will engage the edge ofthe button or hand-pull 20 at the outside of the tray and has suitablemeans tor causing the shoulders on the extensible member l'12 lto engagethe wall of the tray. For this purpose, as illustrated in Fig. 1, aspring strip 21 may be provided which is adapted to bear upon a port-ionof the front of the tray and to urge the shoulders on the channel intoengagementwith the front of the tray. The spring 21 is preferably soormedand positioned that its free end is enclosed in thel button or handpull. In order to release the device, the button or hand pull maybepushed down against the action of the spring strip 21, whereupon theshoulders. on the channel piece will disengage from the front. ol thetray and the extensible member 12 may then be pulled outwardly throughthe opening in the tray front. As illustrated in Figs. 3 to 6,theextensible member may be readily adjusted by pushing the button 2Ddownwardly and pulling the extensible member outwardly. The spring stud15 may then be readily lifted, the channel member 16 moved to anydesired position relatively to the stem-14, and the stud inserted inanother recess in the channel member.

The extensible portion of the follower may be constructed in ditte-rentsuitable forms, for example, in the modtied form shown in Figs. 7- 14,11a designates the plate or sliding member having guiding ears T and theextensible art of the follower is made in the 'formof a rack 22 having aplurality of teeth 23. This rack -is slidablel through an aperturedportion 24 of the plate member and the teeth of the rack are causedto-engage an edge of the apertured portion .by suitable means, such, forexample, as the spring 25 on the plate member which bears against thestraight side of the rack. This apertured portion of the plate. Theextensible portion or rack is provided with a suitable part for engaginga portion of the. tray. For this purpose, in the form shown there isprovided a shoulder 26 on one side edge oi' the extensible' part, whichengage-s an.l

edge of the front of the tray adjacent the aperture 27 through which theextensible part slides. 28 designates a button or linger piecewherebythe follower of this form may e actuated. `ln Figs. 15 to 20,'there is;shown another modified form. In this form the sliding plate member, 11",preferably having guide `ears or tongues T2, is 'provided with ascrewthreaded stem 29. This screw-threaded stem cooperates'with a handleortion 30 having an internal. screw-three 31. The hand1e,'portion 30 isslidable through -an aperture 32 -inthe `front ofthe tray 'and has apart for engaging the tray iront, whereby the follower may be held inposition within the tray. ln the. form shown` this part has a shoulder33 which is adapted when the follower is pushed into the tray to engagebehind the front wall of the tray. The stem is provided with a suitablebutton 34 at the outside of the tray so as to permit actuation of thefollower from the out` side of the tray. The handle 30 may be releasedby pushing inwardly and upwardly upon the button 34, whereupon thehandle may be pulled outwardly through'the lfronto the tray. The deviceis adjusted for distance by pulling the handle 30 out to clear the frontwall of the tray, and then turning the handle portion upon the screwthreaded stem to canse the plate member to project ay greater or lesserdistance into the tra-y.

Still another modiied form of follower device is shown in Figs. 21-27.The sliding plate member 11c of this form is similar to the plate 11,Fig. 7, and is provided with guide ears T3 to engage under'the flanges Cof the tray. rlhe adjustable stem portion of this follower preferablyincludes a lock bar 40 having means adapted to adjustably engage an edgeof the plate 11c and means for engaging afixed part on the tray. and ahandle portion '41 to which said lock bal' 40 is pivoted, and whichextends outwardly beyond, the front edge of the tray through an a erture42. The lock bar 40 is pivoted at its inner end 43 to the handle ortionto lie substantially parallel and coincident with said handleportionwhen in locking engagement with the follower late.` The two /members aretogether slida ly supported on the follower plate 11c by depressed,oppositely directed lugs 44-44 and 45445 which engage opposite sides andthe 'under face of the yart 41.

adapted to normally engage an edge of the4 aperture to preventunintentional movement of the follower. The bar 40 is further providedwith a depressed -lug `or hook 48, adapted to engage a part on thehandle part 41, 'for instance, the cut-out shoulder 49 which is sopositioned that when the lug 48.

is in en agement therewith the rack 47 is held against the edge of theapertured part 46 and relative endwise movement between These lugs arepreferably stampe out and depend from the tollowel1- ,the plate and lockbar is prevented. The

at this point, so that, by disengaging the lug 48 :trom the shoulder 49the bar,may be given a limited swinging movement on the pivot 43sufiicien'r to disengage the rack teeth from the edge of the aperture,as

shown in Fig.. 26. The means for holding the device in engagement withthe tray in clude a tongue or shoulder 50 extending upwardly andforwardly from the lock bar 40, said tongue being held in engagementwith an edge of the aperture 42 in the front wall button 53 is depressedand moved inwardly to release the tongue 50 from the tray front.

whereupon the device may be pulled outwardly by keeping the spring strip52 depressed until the tongue is free of the tray. In this position' thelock bar is accessible andif it is desired to make an adjustment for adifferent number of cards or holders the lock bar is moved upwardly andswung .as shown in Fig. 26, so that the lug 48 is freed from ytheshoulder 49 and the ttceth 47 are clear of the edge of the aperture 46.If

desired, the inward movement of the adjust-r .able stem ortion may belimited, as for instance by t e shoulder 54 on the handle por tion y41,which is adapted to engage a part on the follower plate, as forinstance, the apertured portion 46. This shoulder preferably coincideswith the last'tooth on the rack 47 thereby preventing the stem frombeing pushed in to an extent where the stem would be prevented fromproper locking engagement with the follower plate.

In these devices described, the followers or plates having parts inengagement with the front wall of the tray and extending therethrough,are effectively' maintained in connection with the tray. They Aare notliable to fall out or become misplaced. The stems orextensible parts ofthe several devices may be of any desired length or any desired degreeof extensibility so that the followers may be used to maintain anydesired number of the cards in place in' the tray. Thefollower devicesot' this invention engaging the fixed front wallor other part of thetray and being connected thereto, do not depend upon the 'cards orholders for maintaining their positions in the tray. The fixed stopadjacent the rear of the tray limits movement of the cards or holderslon itudinally toward the rear of. the tray an the extensible followerswhich may be made of any desired length effectively secure the cards orholders against movenent forward-in the tray.

The handles of the movable follower or securing devices projectingIexteriorly at the ends of the trays or receptacles may be used to movethe trays or receptacles bodily as well as to actuate the followerdevices.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a record-holding tray, the combination of a part providing a. stopfor engaging a portion of a. series of record devices disposed inpredetermined order iatwise on said tray to prevent movement of saidseries in one direction longitudinally of said tray, and an extensiblemember having a part releasably engaging a portion of said series forpreventing movement of said series longitudinally of said tray in theother direction.

2. In a record-holding tray, the con'ibination of a part providing astop `for engaging a portion of a series of record devices disposed inpredetermined order atwise on v said tray to pre-vent movement of saidseries `in one direction longitudinally of said tray, an extensiblemember having a part engaging a portion of said series. and a partextending adjacent an outer edge of said tray for releasably preventingmovement of said first mentioned part and said series longitudinally ofsaid trayl in the other direction.

3. In a record-holding device having an outer side portion and parts forsupporting a series of record members in predetermined arrangementtiatwise on said device, the combination of a part-'on said deviceproviding a stop for engaging a portion of said Series of record membersto prevent movement of said members in one direction longitudinally ofsaid device and a cooperating member having a part for engaging aportion of said` series for preventing movement of said serieslongitudinally of said device in another direction and an operating partreleasably engaging saidouter side of lsaid dcvlce.

4. In a record-holding tray having a side portion and parts forsupporting a series of record members in predetermined arrangement,iatwise on said tray, thel combination of a part on said tray forengaging I a portion of said series to limit movement of said serieslongitudinally of said tray in one direction, and a movable memberhaving a part for engaging a portion of said series of record members tohold said series against longitudinal movement in the other direction,and an extensible part for releasably engaging apart of said tray,whereby a varied number of record members may be held againstlongitudinal movement on said tray,

5. In a record-holding container having a side portion and parts forsupporting a series of record devices in predetermined atwise nestedarrangement in said container including parts on said container forpreventing novement of said devices transversely of said container, thecombination otI fill messie a part on said container for engaging aportion of said series to limit movement of said series lon 'tudinallyof said container in one direction, and a movable member having a partfor engaging a portion of said.

lparts for supporting said devices and a part for engaging one of saiddevices for limiting movement orl said series lengthwise of saidcontainer in one direction, and an extensible member having a part forengaging one of said record devices and a part for releasably engagin afixed part of said container for releasab y holding said series ofdevices against movement lengthw1se of said container in the otherdirection.

7. ln a record device, the combination with a plurality orrecord-receiving devices having interlocking parts whereby the devicesmay be nested in series in overlapping arrangement, of a tray havingparts for supporting said devices and apart for engaging one of saiddevices for limiting movement o said series lengthwise of said tray inone direction, and a member having a part for engaging one of saiddevices on said tray an a part releasably engaging a portion of saidtray and operable from the exterior ot' said receptacle for releasablyholding said series of devices against movement lengthwise of said trayin the opposite direction.

8. In a. record device, the combination with a plurality ofrecord-receiving devices having parts whereby the devices may be held inspaced overlapping arrangement,- of a tray having parts for supportingsai devices,side parts for enga "ng portions of said devices to maintainsai devicesagainst transverse movement on said tray, and a art forengaging one of said devices to imit shiftingI of said serieslongitudinally of said tray in one direction, and a securing memberhaving a part engaging one of said devices, parts engaging the sideparts of said tray,and a part extending to the exterior of said tray andreleasably engaging a portion of said tray for releasably holding saiddevices fromlongitudinal movement on said tray in the other direction.

9. The combination with a plurality of record-receiving devices havinginterengaging parts whereby 'the devices may be nested in overlappingarrangement, of atray having parte or supporting said devices and a wallwith an 'aperture therein, and a securing device having a part providedwith a portion for engaging one of said recordreceiving devices forrelea'sably holding said record-receiving devices against movement onsaid tray in one direction and a handle, said handle having a portionextending through the aperture in said tray wall whereby said securingdevice may be actuJ ated from t'he outside of said tray.

10. ln la record device, 'a tray having a portion for supportingrecord-displaying members in predetermined flatwise order substantiallyparallel with said supporting portion, and an end Wall having' anopening therein, a securing device having a part movable on said trayfor engaging and holding said record-displaying members and a partextending through said end wall opening to the exterior of said traywhereby said securing device may be operated from the outside of saidtray to disengage it from and release said record-displaying members.

ll. ln a record-holding receptacle having a portion. for supportin alseries of record devices in predetermine arrangement, the combinationof a part providing a stop for engaging'a portion of said series ofrecord devices to limit movement of said devices relatively to saidreceptacle in one direction, and an extensible member having a partengaginga portion of said series of record devices for limiting movementof said series f relatively to said receptacle in the oppositedirection, said extensible member having a relatively. fixed part, Ianda movable part having a series of selectively spaced vengaging portionsthereon, said relatively fixed part having a portion adapted to beengaged y said selectively spaced engaging portions and said movablepart [having a portion for engaginga part of said receptacle whereby thedistance between the part of said extensible member engaging the recorddevices` and the part of said receptacle engaged by said extensiblemember may be varied acd cording to the size and number of recorddevices to be held on said receptacle.

12. In a movable stop for trays ,for supporting record-receivingdevices, a pair of relatively movable members, one of said membershaving a part for engaging` recordp receiving devices on said tray and apart for engaging the other of said members, said other member having aplurality of selectively spaced parts movably mounted so as to be movedinto or out of engagement with said first member engaging part and a'part for engaging avportion. of the receptacle, whereby the distancebetween said receptacle-engaging part and the record device engagingpart may be varied.

13. In a movable stop for trays for supporting record-receiving devices,a pair of relatively movable members, 'one of said llt) members having apart for engagin recordreceiving devices on said tray an a part forengaging the other of said members, said other member comprising ahandle portion adapted to extend from said first member to the outsideof said tray, and a movable member on said handle having a plurality ofselectively spaced parts for engag ing the part on said rst member, anda part for engaging a portion-of said tray, whereby said iirst membermay be caused to project more or less into said tray.

14. In a record device, a receptacle having a portion for supportingrecord-displaying members in recumbent positions and an end wall, saidend wall having an opening therein, an extensible securlng device havina part movable in said receptacle for engaging and holding saidrecord-displaying members and a part extending through said end wallopening to the exterior of said receptacle, whereby said securin devicemay be operated from the outside o? said receptacle to disengage it fromand release Said record displaying members.

15. In a record device, the combination of a card-record receptacleadapted to support a pluralityof record members in recumbent orhorizontal positions, and a follower block movable in said receptacle,said follower block having a portion extending through an end of saidrece tacle whereby it may be accessible and isl adapted to be moved fromthe exterior of said receptacle.

16. The combination of a receptacle a plurality of spaced record cardsin recumbent positions in said receptacle, a securing member having apart which engages the cards in said receptacle, a part extendingoutside of said receptacle and provided with a handle and partsreleasably connecting said handle part to said receptacle, whereby saidsecuring member may be moved relatively to said receptacle from theoutside of said receptacle by manipulating said handle or the receptaclemay be moved bodily by said handle without shifting said securing memberrelatively to the receptacle.

17. In a card index, a card-receptacle, a plurality of cards inrecumbent positions therein, and a movable follower member forreleasably holding said cards in position in said receptacle, saidfollower member having a part extending to the exterior of saidreceptacle wfhereby it may be actuated from the outside of saidreceptacle.

JAMES H. RAND, JR. LOUIS C. BROECKER.

